Challenge
Raise Funds and Awareness for the 9/11 Memorial
In 2009, while the National September 11 Memorial & Museum was still under construction, the Memorial had the unique opportunity to work with NASCAR and connect with the public.
The anniversary of the attacks coincided with the NASCAR Nationwide Series Race. With fans across the country witnessing the commemorative activities throughout the race, the Memorial wanted a simple way to reach out to new supporters.
Their outreach would need to raise money and also provide a way to engage with donors in a meaningful way moving forward.
Solution
A Text-Message Call to Action with Easy Text-to-Donate and Email Signup
On the day of the race, the 9/11 Memorial launched their “text to remember” program, which was promoted in conjunction with the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Fans were invited to text “WTC” to 25383 to donate $5. Participants were added to an honor roll displayed on the Memorial’s website.
Additionally, once fans had made a donation, the Memorial asked for their email addresses so they could stay in touch. Mobile Commons technology allowed the foundation to collect and manage demographic information about their supporters, including phone numbers, email addresses, donation amounts, and every message that was sent and received.
Results
Engaged Fans, Incoming Donations and a Roster of New Supporters
The mobile donation application connected with fans from the moment they heard the call to action. Because most people have their cell phones with them all the time, all they had to do to get involved was reach into their pocket.
Just as important as the donations raised were the relationships the Memorial fostered. By inviting fans to get involved, they created a list of supporters that they can reach out to through a variety of channels. Those supporters know that they participated in the creation of an important monument – all with the touch of a button.